Abstract: A method of combined spinal and epidural anesthesia includes (a) inserting a catheter into an epidural space in a patient; (b) performing a spinal anesthesia for the patient; (c) monitoring an analgesic level of the spinal anesthesia in the patient; (d) in the event that the analgesic level of the spinal anesthesia is found to be insufficient in the patient, injecting a physiological saline solution through the catheter into the epidural space, thereby rapidly expanding the analgesic level of the spinal anesthesia in the patient. Preferably, the analgesic level of the spinal anesthesia is monitored at a point of time about 10 minutes after the spinal anesthesia. It is also preferred that the amount of injection of the physiological saline solution be adjusted as a function of the height of the patient to rapidly raise the analgesic level of the spinal anesthesia to a desired level in the patient.

Abstract: A topographic head for profilometry and AFM supports a central paddle by coaxial torsion bars projecting inward from an outer frame. A tip projects from the paddle distal from the bars. The torsion bars include an integrated paddle rotation sensor. A XY stage may carry the topographic head for X and Y axis translation. The XYZ stage's fixed outer base is coupled to an X-axis stage via a plurality of flexures. The X-axis stage is coupled to a Y-axis stage also via a plurality of flexures. One of each set of flexures includes a shear stress sensor. A Z-axis stage may also be included to provide an integrated XYZ scanning stage. The topographic head's frame, bars and paddle, and the XYZ stage's stage-base, X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis stages, and flexures are respectively monolithically fabricated by micromachining from a semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A touch-pad digital computer pointing-device, for controlling a position of a cursor appearing on a display screen of a digital computer, senses and resolves respective locations within an active area at which concurrent multi-finger contacts occur. Multi-finger contacts with the active area activate or deactivate a drag-lock operating mode, computer power conservation, and other touch-pad operating characteristics such as the touch-pad's sensitivity to finger contact. The touch-pad also senses a velocity and direction for finger contact with the active area for use in transmitting data to the computer which effects continuous cursor movement across the computer's display screen in a direction fixed by the initial direction of contact movement across the active area. While there is no finger contact with the active area, the touch-pad monitors the active area and adjusts its operation to compensate for changes in the surrounding environment such as changes in temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A compact medium scanner (100) scans a surface (132) of a medium (134) with a beam of light (106). A medium transport mechanism (202, 206) advances the surface along a medium transport path through a scanning station. A light source (104) produces a collimated beam of light (106) that impinges upon a mirror plate (112) of a micromachined torsional scanner (108). A pair of coaxially aligned torsion bars (304) support the mirror plate (112) within the torsional scanner (108). A mirror-surface drive means (306, 312) rotates the mirror plate (112) about the torsion bars (304). A single reciprocation of the mirror plate (112) by the drive means (306, 312) deflects the beam of light (106) over a fan-shaped region having a virtually fixed vertex (128) on the mirror plate (112). Scanner optics (116, 122) direct the fan-shaped region beam of light (106) onto the surface (132) of the medium (134) then present in the scanning station to thereby scan across the medium (134) with the beam of light (106).

Abstract: Using the present cryptographic key exchange protocol, a first of two cryptographic units selects quantities "A" and "B." That same unit then applies a mathematical function ".PHI..sub.1 " to A and B to compute a third quantity "C.". A and B and the function .PHI..sub.1 posses the property that knowing A or B, and C, and the function .PHI..sub.1, it is mathematically impossible to compute the unknown quantity B or A. The first unit then transmits A together C to the second unit while retaining B. The second unit selects a fourth quantity "D" and then applies a second mathematical function .PHI..sub.2 to A and D to compute a quantity "E" which the second unit transmits to the first unit while retaining D. The quantities A and D and the function .PHI..sub.2 must posses the property that knowing D and E, and the function .PHI..sub.2, it is mathematically impossible to compute the unknown quantity D. Then the second unit applies a third mathematical function ".PSI..sub.2 " to D and C to compute the key "K.

Abstract: A video game control unit includes separable console and base sections, with the console section housing a steering wheel video game input device that automatically returns to a central, neutral position. The base section of the video game control unit includes a baseplate, a pedestal and a tray, with the pedestal affixed on the baseplate and the tray resting on and affixed to the pedestal. The tray is flat and bounded by four walls which hold the removable console section in place on the tray. The steering wheel video game input device automatically returns to its central position by means of a restorative force applied by ball bearings received in the ends of coil springs and urged against a V-shaped centering cam which is locked onto a steering shaft connected to the steering wheel. Provisions are included for providing left-turn and right-turn signals to a computer interface circuit included in the console housing.

Abstract: A data-duplicating system for copying digital data between information storage device that occupies a mounting space sized to receive a standard, 51/4 inch, half-height Winchester hard disk drive. The data duplicating system includes different types of information-storage-device connectors adapted for coupling to the data-duplicating system information storage devices that conform to various disparate, incompatible interface specifications. The electronic circuit also includes a digital logic circuit for reading digital data from a first information storage device and writing the read digital data to one or more other information storage devices. A high-speed serial-port permits coupling together a pair of data-duplicating systems. A plurality of switches and a liquid crystal display ("LCD") permit an operator to control the data-duplicating system.

Abstract: The technical field of the invention generally concerns digital computers and, in particular, repeaters or switches (40) for distributed arbitration digital data buses (52, 54, 56, and 58) to which devices (62, 64, 66, 68, 72 and 74) connect in parallel. The bus repeater/switch (40) includes a plurality of bus interface cards (48) that are connected to the distributed arbitration buses (52, 54, 56 and 58) for receiving signals from and transmitting signals to devices (62, 64, 66, 68, 72 and 74) connected thereto. The bus interface cards (48) connect to a control card (44) which allows signals from one of the sharing buses (52, 54 or 56) to be exchanged with the shared bus (58). The bus switch (40) also includes selector switch (84 or 88) for choosing which particular one of the sharing buses (52, 54 or 56) exchanges digital data signals with the shared bus (58).

Abstract: A digital logic simulation/emulation system, that includes a hardware pod having a configurable-logic IC arranged to provide a plurality of stimulus/response cells, is adapted for coupling to a digital logic circuit. The stimulus/response cells, which provide stimulus signals to the digital logic circuit, connect to form a shift-register for downloading stimulus-control data, and for uploading response data during a stimulation-response cycle. A logic-configuration library stores configuration-data for establishing a bit-slice architecture for the stimulus/response cells. To facilitate preparing the configuration-data, the system also includes a configurable-logic-specification process having a GUI user interface. The logic-specification process assigns pre-established, bit-slice configuration data for each logic-function cell to specific locations throughout a configurable-logic IC to achieve swift compilation of configuration data.

Abstract: The technical field of the invention generally concerns electroerosively drilling small diameter holes, e.g. holes 6.0 mm in diameter and smaller. Such a small hole drilling apparatus includes a worktable for receiving a workpiece, together with a chuck and an electrode guide which receives and retains an elongated and thin tubular electrode. The drilling apparatus also includes a fluid supply and pump which delivers a first flow of machining fluid to an inner bore of the tubular electrode at a pressure of at least 20 kg/cm.sup.2. The drilling apparatus also includes a power supply for applying a series of electrical machining pulses between the tubular electrode and the workpiece. As material is removed from the workpiece, an electrode feed mechanism included in the drilling apparatus advances the tubular electrode into the workpiece to maintain the spacing between the tubular electrode and the workpiece.

Abstract: A processor based method for recognizing, capturing and storing tabular data receives digital-computer data representing a document either as a pixel-format document-image, or as formatted text. Within the digital computer, either form of the digital-computer data is processed to locate tabular data present therein. After a table has been located, tabular data is extracted from cells present in either form of the digital-computer data. The extracted tabular data is stored into a database present on the digital computer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining inter-frame motion during compression of digital video data incorporates a computationally efficient hierarchical block-matching motion estimation technique in conjunction with a full-search block-matching approach. In the hierarchical block-matching method, a macroblock is filtered and decimated, and a search area is also filtered and decimated. A block-matching search is performed within the filtered and decimated search area. An augmented block in the original search area that corresponds to the block in the decimated search area that provided the best match with the decimated macroblock is then compared with the original macroblock to determine a motion vector. Operating parameters specify the search range based on the type of frame being processed, i.e. P-frame or B-frame, and, in the case of B-frames, the distance of the B-frame from the reference frame.

Abstract: A method and device for retaining, in a rolled-up configuration, a portion of a collapsible container that holds a quantity of a product. The method includes forming a roll of a collapsible container holding a quantity of a product. The opening of a U-shaped clip is then urged into engagement with the roll of the collapsible container until the opening passes about the roll, and the roll becomes disposed between arms of the U-shaped clip. Thus arranged, an layer of a resilient, open-cell foam material lining the inside of the U-shaped clip is juxtaposed with and compressed by the roll of the collapsible container.

Abstract: An application specific field programmable gate array ("ASFPGA") includes at least two fixed functional units in a single IC chip. Depending upon a specific application for the ASFPGA, the fixed functional units may include one or more bus interfaces, event timers, an interrupt controller, a Direct Memory Access ("DMA") controller, system timers, a real-time clock, a Random Access Memory ("RAM"), a clock synthesizer, a RAM Digital-to-Analog Converter ("DAC"), a display interface, a register file, a compressed image encoder/decoder ("CODEC"), or similar functional units. The ASFPGA also includes a general purpose field programmable gate array ("FPGA"). The FPGA is configurable to effect a specific digital logic circuit interconnection between fixed functional units. After the FPGA has been configured, the fixed functional units together with the FPGA perform all the functions specified for a particular ASIC design.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fluid separator for isolating a component from a composite fluid having one fluid entrained within, but immiscible in, another fluid, and the two fluids have differing specific gravities. An enclosed chamber of the separator houses an elongated spillway having a first end that receives the composite fluid through an inlet-port. A second end of the spillway, located in the chamber's sump, includes spillway outlet-ports for discharging the composite fluid into the chamber. The separator also includes a flat, first solid plate that slopes diagonally across the chamber from the top of the spillway near the inlet port to the sump. A flat, second solid plate slopes diagonally across the chamber from the bottom of the spillway in the sump to a juncture with the first solid plate. Fluid flowing through the separator passes through gaps between the peripheries of the first and second plates and a wall that encloses the chamber.

Abstract: The forming of superhard, durable and inert mechanical microstructures, such as tips for atomic force microscopy and field emission, membranes, hinges, actuators, and sensors requires micromachining of silicon or polysilicon. The microstructures are then reacted with a hydrocarbon or ammonia gas, at a temperature in the range of 700.degree. C. to 1100.degree. C. and in partial vacuum conditions for several minutes. Gases such as methane, ethane, or acetylene will convert the surface layers to SiC, which is useful for its conductive properties, while ammonia gas will convert the surface layers to Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, which is useful for its insulative properties. Thus, the converted material will have improved physical, mechanical, chemical and electrical properties.

Abstract: A skewed, multi-axis vibration fixture supports a device as it undergoes vibration testing simultaneously along three mutually orthogonal axes. A base surface of the fixture is juxtaposed with and coupled to a vibrating surface which shakes along a pre-established vibration axis. A device mounting surface is rigidly coupled to the base surface in a pre-established fixed, skewed angular relationship. The device mounting surface receives and rigidly secures a device as it undergoes vibration testing. The device mounting surface secures the device at an invariable, skewed angle with respect to the vibration axis. Consequently, uniaxial shaking of the vibrating surface is coupled through the fixture to the device mounting surface and is decomposed into shaking along each of the device's three mutually orthogonal axes.

Abstract: An elongated micromachined silicon hinge includes an integral four-terminal piezo voltage torsion sensor. The micromachined hinge is disposed between masses that are located at opposite ends of the hinge, and that are fabricated integrally with the hinge by micromachining. Concurrent application of a torsional force to the hinge, by rotation of the masses about the hinge's longitudinal axis, and an electric current through the hinge's silicon, generates a voltage that appears across a pair of voltage sensing electrodes.

Abstract: A rotational shock/vibration fixture that adapts a rectilinear shock or vibration apparatus for applying a rotary shock or vibration to a device undergoing test. A rotatable device-mounting-plate, enclosed within a rigid box, receives the device. A pair of diametrically opposed bearings support the box within a frame for movement about a rotation axis. Coil springs stretching between the box and the frame establish a rest orientation for the box with respect to the frame, and dampens oscillations of the box. A reduced backlash linkage between the box to the rectilinear shock or vibration apparatus couples rectilinear movement of the shock or vibration apparatus into rotary shock or vibration of the box. The reduced-backlash linkage may include a lever arm for mechanically amplifying shock applied by the shock or vibration apparatus.

Abstract: The technical field of the invention generally concerns systems for receiving and transmitting compressed video and audio data. In particular, a subscriber system (10) includes a communication subsystem (12) to receive compressed data from and transmit compressed data to a ISDN primary access line (14) utilizing the "bandwidth on demand" feature of that communication channel. The communication subsystem (12) separates received compressed data into compressed video data and compressed audio data. Within the subscriber system (10), the compressed video data is transmitted to a programmable video data format conversion subsystem (28) for decompression and production of a visible image on a CRT (82). Similarly, compressed audio data is transmitted to a programmable audio data format conversion subsystem (192) for decompression and production of an audible sound on a speaker (262). Compressed data of visible images and audible sounds may also be obtained with and transmitted from the subscriber system (10).